


The Note System

by tarialdarion



Series: Tumblr Prompts [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Established Relationship, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 22:37:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7380223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarialdarion/pseuds/tarialdarion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anon: "i have a hs au prompt for you! tony and steve being in a relationship and writing small letters to each other and putting them in the other one's locker is kinda their thing. (little things like 'have a nice day', but also stuff that are sometimes hard to say). Someone who's in love with steve and hates tony finds out about it. Next day Tony finds a letter from "Steve" in his locker that says that Steve can't do it anymore + a lot of hurtful things. Tony is devastated and crying. Steve finds out"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Note System

Tony never thought that he would be one of those couples that was constantly called ‘cute’ or had special nicknames for each other. Yet, he found himself eagerly opening his locker, eyes searching out that small, white piece of paper that he knew Steve slipped in there sometime this morning to break up the monotony of the day.

This habit had started when they were just close friends. Tony had been having a horrific day and Steve could see it in the slump of his shoulders, the tense lines around his mouth, and the weariness in his normally sparkling eyes. On a whim, Steve scribbled a stupid pun that Bucky had whispered to him in geometry, cracking up as he had furtively whispered it across the space between them, on a piece of notebook paper and slid it into Tony’s locker. His nervousness about how it would be received dissipated after receiving a response in the form of a note with Tony’s spiked handwriting with a chemistry pun. When Steve saw Tony later in the day, the smile Tony gave him was small but genuine and Steve felt warm with a sense of accomplishment.

When they got together, the notes didn’t cease but instead just changed nature. Steve never quite knew whether he would be blushing or smiling tenderly or chuckling to himself over Tony’s notes and it was a poorly kept secret that Tony kept every note that Steve had ever sent him.

The note system worked for them. Tony was uncommunicative and hesitant at the best of times and flippantly dismissive at the worst when it came to confronting the emotional aspect of their relationship. Writing his thoughts down made it easier to say without tacking on a quip to take away the gravitas of the moment. Steve began to understand how important words were to Tony and would end every note, no matter what it said, with I love you to emphasize his continued adoration of the self-hating brunette.

All of this made it even more of a shock when Tony opened a piece of notebook paper in the middle of the hallway only to have his face turn pale and then quickly settle into a blank mask, his shoulders curling in and his back hunched as if taking a blow to the stomach. Rhodey, who had the locker two down from Tony, noted his friend’s reaction with astonishment and distress.

“Tony?” He said, uncertainly. “Tony, what’s wrong?” Tony looked up at Rhodey, fingers clutching the paper almost tight enough to rip it.

“Nothing.” His voice was hoarse. Tony cleared his throat and slammed his locker shut, ignoring the turned heads. “I’m done.” He said quietly, moving closer to Rhodey and not quite meeting his eyes. “I’m going home. Make up an excuse for me?” Rhodey nodded, unsure of what was happening but certain that he would have his friend’s back. He watched Tony wander away down the hall and then noticed that the paper had been left behind on the floor, crushed under the force of Tony’s hands. He leaned down and picked it up, curious as to what had caused such a reaction.

I can’t do this anymore. The letter read. I tried to give us a chance, I really did, but I need someone that isn’t so needy and high-maintenance. You’re just too much, Tony. So we’re done. I hope we can still be friends. – Steve

Rhodey’s blood was boiling by the time he got to the end of the letter. He had such high hopes for Steve too and had actually liked the bastard. He stormed off in the direction of Steve’s locker, fuming and out for blood.

 

Steve was grabbing a book for his next class and talking with Natasha about chemistry homework when he heard the furious roar from down the hallway. “STEVE ROGERS!” He turned, looking for the source of the demanding call and found it in Rhodey who stood with his fists clenched and eyes burning. He was stalking with intent and focus towards Steve and Steve was almost scared.

“Rhodey?” He asked, keeping his voice calm. “What’s the matter?”

Rhodey stopped in front of Steve with a sneer. “You know exactly what the matter is. Now I want to know what this is all about before I beat your ass.” He waved a piece of white notebook paper in front of Steve’s face. Steve frowned.

“My note? I thought it would’ve been fairly self-explanatory.” Rhodey stared at him in disbelief and then snarled, “You motherfucker.” before lunging with surprising speed and landing a solid punch on Steve’s jaw. Steve fell back in shock, hitting his shoulders against the lockers and blinking through the pain.

“What the fuck, Rhodey?” Natasha yelled. “What was that for?” Rhodey turned on her.

“I told him that this would happen.” He whirled back to Steve, pointing a severe finger at his face. “I warned you that if you ever broke his heart, I wouldn’t hesitate. I would kick your ass and you fucking agreed! You said that you would deserve it so man up and – “ Steve cut him off.

“I did what?” He said, still a little dazed and very confused by Rhodey’s words. “But…he was fine this morning when we said hello. He would’ve told me if I had said something…right?” Panic began to set in. “Oh god, Rhodey, I swear, I didn’t mean to do whatever I did.”

“This seems pretty straight forward to me.” Rhodey shoved the paper at Steve again, this time allowing him to take it and peruse the written contents, his face growing white.

“Rhodey, I swear I didn’t write this.” Steve looked frantic, clutching the paper much like Tony had earlier. “It’s not my handwriting and I swear I would never break up with Tony and especially not like this and never for these reasons.” Rhodey could feel himself giving into Steve’s desperate plea and sighed.

“Well for some reason, it was in his locker.” Steve’s face turned horrified.

“Oh god, did Tony –“

“Yes.” That was all that needed to be said. Rhodey sighed again. “Go. Natasha and I will make excuses for you both. Just, fuck, go find him before he does something stupid like blow up a room or whatever.” Steve nodded frantically and made to rush off before Rhodey stopped him. “Steve. Make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Steve’s eyes turned to ice before Rhodey stopped speaking and he nodded.

“It won’t.”


End file.
